Scars of War
by whistlerstwin
Summary: The remaining members of the Order are trying to survive the continuing War. Hermione is forced into a position of responsibility before she is ready with dire consequences. In order to end the War, the location of the Dark Lord must be revealed. Rated T
1. Chapter 1

Scars of War

Author's notes:

This story takes place post book six and contains spoilers for at least POA, OOTP, and HBP. You have been warned!

**Summary**: The War has not gone as it should. There have been many tragedies and many people have been forced to do things that they otherwise would not, with losses on both sides of the conflict. The story is from Hermione Granger's POV, and occasionally from a few others.

**Things to know before you read**: I have written this as close to character as I can but, being American, I speak differently than those of you across the way. Also, I have created "new" spells by having Hermione do her homework in the spell research division, including one that allows the ability to mind-speak. Lastly, this story will be dark, because acts of war are dark.

**Disclaimer**: Own Harry Potter, etc.? You're funny, you know that? (Of course all of this, except for the story line and a few other odds and ends, is the intellectual property of J. K. Rowling.)

Chapter 1: Underestimated

She spun, holding her wand loosely in her hand, and lashed out viciously with a side kick to the ribs of the nearest wizard. The man fell as a crack resounded, signaling the first of many broken bones to come. He stayed down. That left the two witches on her right and the remaining wizard on her left. Hermione stayed low, holding her martial arts position. The two witches exchanged a glance, looking wary. Hermione heard the scuff of a shoe and dodged just barely as a fist missed her face. With a single thought, she flicked her wand and the errant wizard was upside down, held high in the air as if by an invisible hook. He struggled furiously, but the spell held him immobile. Hermione turned her attention back to the witches who were throwing stunning spells at her. Hermione used the Protego charm and felt the spells deflect past her. Her wand twirling in her hand, she released her own barrage of spells, none of them pleasant. One of the witches fell with a cry and Hermione smiled grimly. The last witch looked scared as she faced the younger witch. She opened her mouth to cast a spell too late. Hermione sent a spell at the woman. It erupted from her wand in a straight black line until it reached the witch. Then it exploded open and wrapped around her, as efficiently as a fish in a net. Hermione stunned the woman and canceled the spell on the levitating wizard who fell onto his head, moaned once and then was silent. She looked at the devastation around her. She shook her head once and then Disapparated with a deafening crack.

"Did you get it?" Tonks asked, her face creased with worry. Hermione looked at her, surprised that she hadn't noticed how much older the Auror looked. When she thought about it, they all probably looked older because of the terror, pain and anger the War was producing.

"Yeah," Hermione said, pulling a small, lumpy parcel from her back pocket. Tonks took it from her; as she did so, her face seemed to smooth as if someone had run an iron over it. "Any trouble?" the Auror asked dryly, taking in Hermione's torn jacket and jeans. "Only a bit," Hermione said, suddenly weary. She pulled out a chair at the kitchen table and sat down, casting a healing spell as she did so. She aimed her wand at the scrape on her knee and used her other hand to wipe the blood away where it was threatening to fall into her right eye.

"How many this time?"

"Two Inferi, two witches and two wizards," Hermione said, now moving her wand to her eye.

Tonks chuckled dryly and fixed Hermione with a look. "The Dark Lord underestimated you. He won't do that again."

Hermione looked away from the other woman. "I know."

A/N: Eager to know what happens next? What is in the mysterious package? Don't worry, more characters are forth-coming as is a back story of sorts. Please give me a few reviews, like five, and I'll update. I especially appreciate comments about my writing-if it sounds okay, any grammatical/spelling errors, thanks.


	2. Chapter 2: Fragile

A/N: Thanks to my single reviewer (you know who you are ). Hope you liked the first chapter. Here's the next, guaranteed to get a little darker.

Chapter 2: Back story

Twelve Grimmauld Place was different now. It would always be different since Sirius had…left. His loss had signaled the downward spiral the Order of the Phoenix would face. They had lost members almost as quickly as the War had started. The Ministry of Magic was gone. Rufus Scrimegeour had fallen under the Imperius Curse. Before Ginny Weasley had killed him, he tortured Neville Longbottom into insanity; ironically that was how Neville's parents had gone. Ginny had left the Order bitter and angry at the remaining members to take care of Neville, her husband. Hermione had gotten word that he had died a few months ago.

St. Mungo's had been destroyed by the Dark and most of the healers had joined the Underground Resistance but were willing to help the Order. Ginny was now a nurse in the Underground. Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, was missing in action. He had been sent to retrieve another of the mysterious packages along with Luna Lovegood. Only Luna had returned weeks later, barely alive, her memory erased and with several burn marks. Fred and George Weasley had been dragged from their shop and then tortured by one of the Deatheaters until their bodies could no longer take the pain. Their deaths had come as a major shock to the wizarding world who still hoped for a quick resolution to the War. "Why," many wizards asked themselves, "had two joke shop owners been killed? Hadn't they been beneath the Dark Lord's notice?" A rumor quickly surfaced that they had been supplying both the Order and the Underground Resistance. Hermione remembered how the twins deaths had shook the remainder of the Weasley family. The witch forced her thoughts away from a certain Weasley and splashed water on her face. Her thoughts drifted to the woman downstairs and to Lupin. Forced to remain Underground to recruit other werewolves to the cause, Remus Lupin had spent more and more time as a werewolf. His eyes had gone permanently dark and there was nothing a dentist (here Hermione winced as she thought of her parents) could do about his elongated canine teeth. Tonks said she didn't care. Hermione smiled to herself slightly. If there was hope for this world, it was in people like Lupin and Tonks. Hermione roused herself from her reverie. She was standing in the bathroom. She glanced at her reflection in the cracked mirror as the water dripped from her face.

"Hermione…?" a familiar voice called uncertainly. Hermione whirled around, certain that it was someone, but it wasn't him. It was Luna, her once white-blonde hair turned dark pulled into a ponytail, revealing her scarred face. "They-they want you downstairs. It's a meeting for…you know…" Luna's voice drifted off. Her eyes widened and she spoke in a whisper. "H-he's down there…"

Hermione's eyes flashed and she turned quickly from the other girl lest she think Hermione's anger was directed at her. As her anger burned inside of her, she remembered the feeling of the white-hot brand a group of Death Eaters had used on her. The visitor…how Hermione longed to hurt him as he and his friends had hurt her…

Hermione closed her eyes and fought for calm as she clutched the sink. She breathed deeply and counted to 10.

Luna was still very fragile and Hermione didn't want to frighten the girl. Despite recovering most of her memories, Luna still refused to talk about what had been done to her and Harry. When Hermione turned to face Luna, she had regained her composure. "Thank you, Luna." Hermione watched the other witch for a moment. Luna had made no move to leave the room; Hermione knew she was worried about leaving Hermione with the visitor. The witch crossed the room and placed a reassuring hand on Luna's shoulder. "It'll be alright. Not like last time-I promise." Last time, Hermione had lost her temper and nearly killed the Death Eater mole who was working for them. How could she help it when he had been partially responsible for many terrible things, including the death of her parents and the word "Mudblood" branded into her arm?

Not looking at all reassured, Luna nevertheless stepped out of the other witch's way. Hermione walked down the steps slowly, steeling herself. She had a sudden brainwave and flicked her wand at herself, knowing Tonks would do the same.

Tonks was leaning on the door jamb, trying to look casual, watching the other witch. Hermione, however, knew her friend well and saw the way the skin around her eyes had tightened.

_I knew you'd think of this spell. I am calm, well, no I'm not but I promise it won't be like last time… _Hermione thought.

Tonks winked, but still seemed tense. _Only a small amount hostility and absolutely only one explosion. Let's do try to keep it to a minimum, shall we?_

Hermione nodded once and the Auror slid out of the way allowing her to pass. Hermione felt a small flame of anger as the visitor stood up from his place at the table. His face twisted in surprise and his mouth opened slightly. Hermione allowed herself a bitter smile.

"Surprised to see me, Draco?"

A/N: Hope you liked it and were at least slightly surprised by Mr. Malfoy's appearance. R&R please and thank you! And I'm going to see the new HP movie tonight! Hooray!


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